Modular wireless network access device

ABSTRACT

In view of the above, a wireless network access device is provided. In an example implementation, the wireless network access device includes a radio interface having a plurality of individually addressable radio paths for providing a connection to corresponding radio modules. Each radio module includes a radio configured to communicate with client devices in a corresponding coverage area. Each radio module is configured to operate independently of the other radio modules. A network interface is included to provide data network access. The wireless network access device includes a processor to manage communication between the client devices that communicate with the radio modules and a data network via the radio interface and the network interface when the wireless local area network device includes at least one connected radio module.

CROSS-REFERENCE To RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. Non-Provisional patentapplication Ser. No. 13/566,711, entitled “Modular Wireless NetworkAccess Device,” filed on Aug. 3, 2012, to inventor Michael J. de laGarrigue, which application issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,247,753, on Jan.26, 2016, and which application claims priority of U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application Ser. No. 61/521,218, entitled “Modular WirelessNetwork Array,” filed on Aug. 8, 2011, to inventor Michael J. de laGarrigue, the disclosures of which are both incorporated by referenceherein in their entireties.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to systems and methods for providingwireless networking resources, and more particularly to modular wirelessnetworking resources for communication using a multiple, independent,interchangeable, and distinct wireless communications devices.

2. Related Art

The use of wireless communication devices for data networking is growingat a rapid pace. Data networks that use “Wi-Fi” (“Wireless Fidelity”)are relatively easy to install, convenient to use, and supported by theIEEE 802.11 standard. Wi-Fi data networks also provide performance thatmakes Wi-Fi a suitable alternative to a wired data network for manybusiness and home users. Wireless communications for data networks alsoinclude using the cellular telephone and mobile communicationsinfrastructure. The use of Bluetooth® and other standards implementing awide variety of wireless technologies is also growing.

In WiFi networks, wireless access points provide users having wireless(or “client”) devices in proximity to the access point with access todata networks. The wireless access points include a radio that operatesaccording to different aspects of the IEEE 802.11 specification.Generally, radios in the access points communicate with client devicesby utilizing omnidirectional antennas that allow the radios tocommunicate with client devices in any direction. The access points arethen connected (by hardwired connections) to a data network system,which completes the access of the client device to the data network.

WiFi access points typically include a single omnidirectional radio thatcommunicates with the clients in proximity to the access point.Recently, WiFi systems have incorporated multiple radios with anintegrated controller connected to a LAN, or other data networkinfrastructure. Examples of such multiple radio WiFi systems aredisclosed in:

U.S. Patent Application No. 111816,003, filed on Aug. 10, 2007, titled“Wireless LAN Array,” and incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety;

U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/816,060, filed on Aug. 10, 2007,titled “Assembly and Mounting for Multi-Sector Access Point Array,” andincorporated herein by reference in its entirety;

U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/816,061, filed on Aug. 10, 2007,titled “Media Access Controller for Use in a Multi-Sector Access PointArray,” and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety;

U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/816,064, filed on Apr. 3, 2008,titled “Antenna Architecture of a Wireless LAN Array,” and incorporatedherein by reference in its entirety; and

U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/816,065, filed on Aug. 10, 2007,titled “System for Allocating Channels in a Multi-Radio Wireless LANArray,” and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

WiFi access points that employ multiple radios use radios specificallyconfigured for operation in the specific WiFi access pointimplementation. The multiple radios are also provided as multiple radiochains in a single structure, or in multiple modules in which singleradios do not operate or may not be removed or added independently ofeach other. As such, the access points lack the flexibility to useindependently configured radios, or technologies.

There is a need for wireless networking solutions that allow controlover radios that operate independently without any functional orphysical dependency on other radios, interchangeably to allow radios tobe replaced with other radios in an implementation, and differentlyusing different standards or variations of standards or technologies.

SUMMARY

In view of the above, a wireless network access device is provided. Inan example implementation, the wireless network access device includes aradio interface having a plurality of individually addressable radiopaths for providing a connection to corresponding radio modules. Eachradio module includes a radio configured to communicate with clientdevices in a corresponding coverage area. Each radio module isconfigured to operate independently of the other radio modules. Anetwork interface is included to provide data network access. Thewireless network access device includes a processor to managecommunication between the client devices that communicate with the radiomodules and a data network via the radio interface and the networkinterface when the wireless local area network device includes at leastone connected radio module.

In example implementations, a method is provided for configuring awireless network access device having a wireless network access devicecontroller, a network interface, and a radio interface having aplurality of individually addressable radio paths for providing aconnection to corresponding radio modules. In an example of the method,at least one radio module is selected from among a group of differenttypes of radio modules. The selected radio modules are inserted intoselected connectors corresponding to the individually addressable radiopaths. The access device operates to provide communications betweenclient devices having wireless connections with the selected radiomodules and a data network via the network interface.

Other devices, apparatus, systems, methods, features and advantages ofthe invention will be or will become apparent to one with skill in theart upon examination of the following figures and detailed description.It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features andadvantages be included within this description, be within the scope ofthe invention, and be protected by the accompanying claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The examples of the invention described below can be better understoodwith reference to the following figures. The components in the figuresare not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed uponillustrating the principles of the invention. In the figures, likereference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout thedifferent views.

FIG. 1 is an overhead schematic view of an example of a wireless networkaccess device.

FIG. 2 is an overhead schematic view of another example of a wirelessnetwork access device.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an example controller that may be usedin the example wireless network access device shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of an example controller that may be usedin the example wireless network access device shown in FIG. 2.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are schematic diagrams for examples of radios that may beimplemented on a radio module shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a controller that may be used in thewireless network access device shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 8 illustrates operation of an example of a high-speed radio moduleinterface bridge and an interface bridge having in-line data processing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description of example embodiments, reference is madeto the accompanying drawings that form a part of the description, andwhich show, by way of illustration, specific example embodiments inwhich the invention may be practiced. Other embodiments may be utilizedand structural changes may be made without departing from the scope ofthe invention.

I. Overview

Examples of modular wireless network platforms are described below aswireless network access devices that may be implemented in a housinghaving a plurality of radial sectors and a plurality of antennasarranged to provide coverage from the radial sectors. One or more of theplurality of antennas may be arranged within individual radial sectorsof the plurality of radial sectors.

The radial sectors may be configured to define radiation patterns, orcoverage patterns, that cover airspace in targeted sections, or sectors.The coverage patterns may be configured in a manner that, when combined,a continuous coverage is provided for a client device that is incommunication with the wireless network access device. It is noted thatthe term “client device” is used in this specification to refer to anydevice with which a wireless communications connection may be made witha radio.

The radiation patterns may overlap to ease management of a plurality ofclient devices by allowing adjacent sectors to assist each other. Forexample, adjacent sectors may assist each other in managing the numberof client devices served with the highest throughput as controlled by acontroller. The arrangement of antennas in radial sectors providesincreased directional transmission and reception gain that allow thewireless network access device and its respective client devices tocommunicate at greater distances than standard omnidirectional antennasystems, thus producing an extended coverage area when compared to anomnidirectional antenna system.

The antennas used in the radial sectors may include any suitable numberand type of antenna in each sector. Examples of antenna arrays that maybe used are described in:

-   -   PCT Patent Application No. PCT/US2006/008747, filed on Jun. 9,        2006, titled “WIRELESS LAN ANTENNA ARRAY,” and incorporated        herein by reference in its entirety,    -   U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/269,567 filed on Nov. 12,        2008, titled “MIMO Antenna System,” and incorporated herein by        reference in its entirety,    -   U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/987,040 (“'040”) filed on        Dec. 31, 2010, titled “MIMO Antenna System,” and incorporated        herein by reference in its entirety, and    -   U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/115,091 (“'091”) filed on        May 24, 2011, titled “MIMO Antenna System having Beamforming        Networks,” and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.        For purposes of maintaining clarity in the description of the        example wireless network access devices below, the antennas in        the examples are described as employing multiple input, multiple        output (“MIMO”) schemes. It is to be understood by those of        ordinary skill in the art that example implementations are not        limited to the type of antennas described.

The examples of wireless network access devices described below includeindependently operating radio modules in each radial sector. The radiomodules may provide a coverage pattern as described above, or each radiomodule may be configured to generate independent coverage patterns,which may include directional or omni-directional radiation patterns.The number of radio modules used in the wireless network access devicemay also be varied and various different radio module types may becombined to provide scalability of performance, cost, and diversity offunctionality in any given implementation.

II. Modular Wireless Network Access Device

FIG. 1 is an overhead schematic view of an example of a wireless networkaccess device 100 having a controller 102 and a plurality of radiomodules 104 a-104 h. The example wireless network access device 100 inFIG. 1 includes eight radio modules 104 a-104 h. The controller 102 maybe configured to operate with an optional number of radio modules 104 upto a maximum of 8 in FIG. 1. The controller 100 may be configured tooperate in different modes involving a certain number of radio modules104. For example, the controller 102 may be configured to operate in a4-port, or an 8-port wireless network access device. The controller 102may also simply adapt to the number of radio modules 104 connected toit. The controller 102 may be configured to ensure a 360° coveragepattern regardless of the number of radio modules 104, or to cover anarea having a shape customized for a specific installation.

FIG. 2 is an overhead schematic view of an example of a wireless networkaccess device 200 having a controller 202 and a plurality of radiomodules 204 a-204 p. The wireless network access device 200 in FIG. 2 issimilar to the wireless network access device 100 in FIG. 1 except thatup to 16 radio modules 204 a-204 p may be connected to the controller202 instead of the 8 in FIG. 1. The wireless network access device 200in FIG. 2 also shows a block diagram of the controller 202 including acentral processor 210, a radio interface 212, and a network interface214. The central processor 210 provides the processing resources for thecontroller 202. The central processor 210 operates with the radiointerface 212 to communicate with the radio modules 204 a-p, and thenetwork interface 214 to connect the wireless network access device 200to wider data network resources.

The radio interface 212 is configured to connect the radio modules 204a-204 p to data network resources as individual, independently operatingradios configured to communicate with client devices in the radialsector in which the radios operate. Each radio module 204 a-204 pincludes a single radio operating independently of the other radiomodules 204 a-204 p. For example, one or more radio modules 204 a-204 pmay be configured to operate as 3×3 802.11n radios, others may beconfigured to operate as 2×2 802.11n radios, others may have a singleantenna chain, and others may be configured to communicate with cellulardevices. One or more of the radio modules 204 a-204 p may also beconfigured to operate with an omnidirectional coverage pattern while oneor more of the remaining radio modules 204 a-204 p may operate with adirectional coverage pattern in the same installation. Each radio module204 a-204 p includes an interface configured to operate with the radiointerface 212 on the controller 202.

In one example implementation, the radio interface 212 operates usingthe standard PCI Express® (“PCIe®”) peripheral interface. The radiointerface 212 on the controller 202 communicates with each radio module204 a-204 p connected to the controller 202 in accordance with the PCIe®standard. The radio interface 212 manages serial links to each radiomodule in accordance with the PCIe® standard. The PCIe® standard is notintended to be limiting. It is to be understood by those of ordinaryskill in the art that any interface, whether standard or proprietary,may be used for communication to the radio modules 204 a-204 p.

The network interface 214 provides the radio modules 204 a-204 p withaccess to the data network resources allowing client devices incommunication with the radio modules 204 a-204 p to communicate overdata networks such as the Internet. Any suitable scheme may be used forthe network interface 214, which may include hardware and softwarecomponents that allow connectivity for a variety of radio types,including WiFi radios, cellular radios, and any other radio configuredfor operation in the wireless network access device 200 in FIG. 2.

The wireless network access devices 100, 200 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2provide a modular and flexible platform for implementing wirelessaccess. The wireless network access devices 100, 200 operate usingcontrollers 102, 202 having a generalized interface to the radio modules104 et seq., 204 et seq. The radio modules 104 et seq., 204 et seq.implement the generalized interface regardless of the type of radio, orconfiguration or standard used for the radio. In addition, each radiomodule 104 et seq., 204 et seq. conforms to the same size and shape. Inan example implementation, radio modules 104 et seq., 204 et seq. may beconfigured for operation on either the first wireless network accessdevice 100 in FIG. 1, or in the second wireless array 200 in FIG. 2,where both wireless network access devices 100, 200 are made available.It is to be understood that the two wireless network access devices 100,200 are described here as examples of configurations that may be used interms of number of the radio modules as well as the shape selected toallow for modularity. Other examples may have more or fewer radiomodules having a different shape.

III. Modular Wireless Network Access Device

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an example controller 300 that may beused in the example wireless network access device 100 described abovewith reference to FIG. 1. The controller 300 in FIG. 3 includes acentral processor 302, a processor memory 304, a network interface 306,a signal switch 308, a radio path fanout device 310, and an assistengine 312 for communication with up to eight radio modules 320. Thecontroller 300 may be configured to provide a radio interface thatincludes a plurality of individually addressable point-to-pointconnections between the central processor 302 and each radio module. Thepoint-to-point connections may be implemented as high-speed, serialconnections at one, or a selectable one of several ports, on the centralprocessor 302 over a first radio interface path from the port on thecentral processor 302 to the fanout device 310. The fanout device 310may be controlled to select one of a plurality of radio paths connectedfrom the fanout device 310 to a corresponding radio module 320 tocomplete the point-to-point connection between the central processor 302and the corresponding radio module 320.

In an example implementation, the central processor 302 may includebuilt-in interfaces and connections for any of the network interface 306and the radio interface in accordance with selected standards. Forexample, the central processor 302 in the controller 300 in FIG. 3 maybe an off-the-shelf processor having a standard Ethernet interface and astandard peripheral interface, such as for example a PCIe® interface.One example processor that may be used, without limitation, is a Cavium®Octeon® CN52xxx processor. In other example implementations, a moregeneral purpose processor may be used, which may require addingcomponents for implementing specific network and peripheral interfacestandards that may be desired. In the example shown in FIG. 3, thecentral processor 302 includes an Ethernet interface and a PCIe®interface accessible via connections directly on the processor device,or chip. Any suitable processor may be configured to operate as thecentral processor 302 in FIG. 3, and the radio interface may beimplemented using a standard interface such as the PCIe® standard, orusing a proprietary bus interface configured to operate as describedherein.

The controller 300 includes other processor support components, such asfor example, a non-volatile memory 318, including for example, a bootROM and a USB FLASH drive interface. The controller 300 may includeother support components 316, such as for example, a clock, EPROM, and atemperature sensor. An auxiliary processor 330 may also be included tooffload housekeeping or administrative functions (such as watchdog) fromthe central processor 302. An integrated interface control bus 324 mayalso be included to allow the central processor 302 to addressprocessing peripherals, such as the supporting processing componentsincluding the EPROM at 316, the auxiliary processor 330, and the assistengine 312 by software functions programmed to access the components.These support components, the integrated interface control bus andauxiliary processors are optional or basic computing equipmentcomponents that require no further discussion.

The central processor 302 in FIG. 3 includes two input/output (I/O)ports, or pins on the chip, for communicating over correspondingintegrated and independent radio interface paths 322 a, 322 b to whichthe I/O ports connect. The control software operating under control ofthe central processor 302 may select one of the two radio interfacepaths 322 a, 322 b for communication with a selected one of up to eightradios 320. The control software may also control the signal switch 308to enable the connection to the radio path fanout device 310. The fanoutdevice 310 further controls the connection to the selected radio. Eachof the radio interface paths 322 a, 322 b includes multiple lanesconfigured to perform full duplex transmit and receive functions. Themultiple lanes provide increased bandwidth to each radio interface path322 a, 322 b. In an example implementation in accordance with FIG. 3,each lane may have a bandwidth of up to 2 Gbps providing up to 4 Gbpsfor each radio interface path 322 a, 322 b. Each radio interface path322 a, 322 b may be connected to one of the radios 320 to form a singlelink supported by the multiple lanes.

One of the two radio interface paths 322 a, 322 b may connect directlyto the signal switch 308. The other radio interface path 322 a, 322 bmay include an assist engine 312 operating in-line, or as a “look-aside”component for performing functions that assist the operation of thecontroller 300. These operations may provide boosts in performance, theability to test performance, or other operation assisting functions. Thesignal switch 308 couples the selected radio interface path 322 a, 322 bto a single interface link 325 connected to the fanout device 310.

The radio path fanout device 310 connects the single two-lane interfacelink 325 to one of up to 8 single lane radio paths 326. The 8 singlelane radio paths 326 extend to corresponding connectors on thecontroller 300 as illustrated in the controller 102 in FIG. 1. In anexample implementation, each single lane radio path 326 may have abandwidth of up to 2.0 Gbps if encoded (2.5 Gbps if un-encoded). Theradio path fanout device 310 may be programmed and controlled, using forexample, the integrated interface control bus 324, to tune theelectrical qualities of each link for optimal performance. The selectedsingle lane radio path 326 may then connect to the selected radiointerface path 322 a, 322 b at the signal switch 308. The fanout device310 controls the conversion from a single lane radio path 326 to atwo-lane (transmit and receive) radio interface path 322 a, 322 b.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of an example controller 400 that may beused in the example wireless network access device 200 described abovewith reference to FIG. 2. The controller 400 in FIG. 4 includes acentral processor 402, a processor memory 404, a network interface 406,a pair of signal switches 408 a and 408 b, a pair of radio path fanoutdevices 410 a and 410 b, and an assist engine 412 for communication withup to sixteen radio modules 420 a,b. The controller 400 in FIG. 4 mayinclude a radio interface configured similar to the radio interfacedescribed above with reference to FIG. 3. For example, the radiointerface in the controller 400 may include multiple point-to-pointserial connections between the central processor 402 and each radiomodule 420 a and 420 b. The central processor 402 may connect to thefanout device 410 a, which connects to the radio modules 420 a overindividual radio paths.

In an example implementation, the central processor 402 may includebuilt-in interfaces and connections for any of the network interface 406and the radio interface in accordance with selected standards. Forexample, the central processor 402 in the controller 400 in FIG. 4 maybe an off-the-shelf processor having a standard Ethernet interface and astandard peripheral interface, such as for example a PCIe® interface.One example processor that may be used, without limitation, is a Cavium®Octeon® CN63xxxx processor. In other example implementations, a moregeneral purpose processor may be used, which may require addingcomponents for implementing specific network and peripheral interfacestandards that may be desired. In the example shown in FIG. 4, thecentral processor 402 includes an Ethernet interface and a PCIe®interface accessible via connections directly on the processor device,or chip. Any suitable processor may be configured to operate as thecentral processor 402 in FIG. 4, and the radio interface may beimplemented using a standard interface such as the PCIe® standard, orusing a proprietary bus interface configured to operate as describedherein.

The controller 400 may include other processor support componentssimilar to the controller 300 in FIG. 3. The corresponding componentsare numbered, but no additional description is needed.

Similar to the central processor 302 in FIG. 3, the central processor402 in FIG. 4 includes two input/output (I/O) ports, or pins on thechip, for communicating over corresponding integrated and independentradio interface paths 422 a, 422 b connected to the I/O ports. Thecontrol software operating under control of the central processor 402may select one of the two radio interface paths 422 a, 422 b forcommunication with a selected one of up to sixteen radios 420. Thecontrol software may also control the signal switches 408 a, 408 b toenable the connection to the radio path fanout devices 410 a, 410 b. Thefanout devices 410 a, 410 b further control the connection to theselected radio. Each of the radio interface paths 422 a, 422 b includesmultiple lanes, each path operating as a full-duplex receive/transmitconnection. Each radio interface path 422 a, 422 b configures the fourlanes to provide a single link with a throughput equal to the sum of thefour lanes. In an example implementation, each radio interface path 422a, 422 b includes four lanes, where each lane may have a bandwidth of upto 2 Gbps (or 2.5 Gbps if unencrypted) providing up to 8 Gbps (or 10Gbps if unencrypted) for each radio interface path 422 a, 422 b.

It is noted that the described examples of radio interface paths 322 a,322 b (with reference to FIG. 3) and 422 a, 422 b (with reference toFIG. 4) conform to the PCI express® interface standard. Otherconfigurations according to other standards may be used as well. Theradio interface paths may be parallel or serial buses, designed asproprietary interfaces or under another suitable standard.

One of the two radio interface paths 422 a, 422 b may connect directlyto the signal switches 408 a, 408 b. Each switch 408 a, 408 b connectscorresponding pairs of the multiple lanes that form the radio interfacepaths 422 a, 422 b. A single switch block that accommodates the fourlanes may also be implemented. The other radio interface path 422 a, 422b may include an assist engine 412 operating in-line, or as a“look-aside” component for performing functions that assist theoperation of the controller 400. These operations may provide boosts inperformance, the ability to test performance, or other operationassisting functions. The signal switches 408 a, 408 b couple theselected radio interface path 322 a, 322 b to a single four laneinterface link 425 connected to the fanout device 310.

The radio path fanout devices 410 a, 410 b connects the single four-laneinterface link 425 to one of up to 16 single lane radio paths 420 a and420 b. Each radio path fanout device 410 a, 410 b connects to acorresponding group of 8 radio paths 420 a, 420 b. The 16 single laneradio paths 426 extend to corresponding connectors on the controller 400as illustrated in the controller 202 in FIG. 2. In an exampleimplementation, each single lane radio path 426 may have a bandwidth ofup to 2.0 Gbps if encoded (2.5 Gbps if un-encoded). The radio pathfanout devices 410 may be programmed and controlled, using for example,the integrated interface control bus 424 to tune the electricalqualities of each link for optimal performance. When more than eightradios are connected, the two radio path fanout devices 410 a, 410 b maycooperate via a fanout coupling 427 to select the correct radio. Theradio path 426 may then connect to the selected radio interface path 422a, 422 b at the signal switches 408 a, 408 b. The fanout devices 410 a,410 b controls the conversion from a single lane radio path 426 to themultiple (4) lane radio interface paths 422 a, 422 b.

IV. Radio Modules

The wireless network access devices 100, 200 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2,respectively, are configured to operate using radio modules 104 a-h and204 a-p in FIGS. 1 and 2 respectively, created from a single radioinstance that includes an antenna design and a common physical shape.The shape enhances the operation of the antenna system by incorporatinggeometry that enhances the design of the antenna systems. The shape alsoallows the radio module 104 et seq., 204 et seq. to be used in a varietyof products providing a platform on which to build various RF solutions.For example, a radio module may operate using a dual chain WiFi MIMOradio. Another radio module in the same implementation and connected tothe same controller, may operate using a triple chain WiFi MIMO design;while still another radio module in the same implementation may operateusing another dual chain WiFi that may have a different design, whichmay include a single in, single out design. By using one shape for theradio module, all three designs can be placed into a single system justby updating the system software.

The modularity provided by the radio module platform facilitates asystem configuration and provides flexibility using easilyinterchangeable radio modules. This flexibility in the choice of radiotechnology may remain throughout the lifetime of the system and may evenexpand the flexibility available for enhancing system operation viafield upgrades. Future radio modules may be designed using increasinglypowerful chipsets that may be designed on to the radio module platformand inserted into the system as required.

The size and shape of the radio module also allow for the inclusion ofthe antennas directly onto the module. While different radio moduleswould most likely have different antennas (in terms of geometry, layout,and type of channel formed), space on the radio module allows them to beincluded directly on the module. In other example implementations,antennas could be off-board and adapted to connect using cableassemblies.

The electrical interface to the radio module from the controller (suchas 102, 202 in FIGS. 1 and 2, respectively) may be proprietary orstandard. An industry-standardized interface such as PCIe® may beselected on the basis of a simple connection already available on a hostcentral processor card. The use of off the shelf chips, connectors, andsoftware drivers may then be included to substantially lower the systemcost.

In configuring a modular wireless network access device, radio modulesmay be adapted to:

-   -   1) Operate with an integrated wireless LAN AP/Controller with        embedded, directionalized antenna systems that may be used in        multiple product platforms.    -   2) Include multiple antenna systems suited for operation under        platform specific requirements.    -   3) Mate electrically to the central processing unit through a        PCI Express or other standardized interface protocols.    -   4) Mate mechanically to the central processing unit with a        combination of a standardized connector and custom latching        system.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are schematic diagrams for examples of radios that may beimplemented on a radio module shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The radio 500 inFIG. 5 is a 2×2 MIMO radio and the radio 600 in FIG. 6 is a 3×3 MIMOradio. Other radios may also be used where implemented on boards thatshare the same size, outline, mechanical form, and electrical interfacefor operation with the controller 100, 200 (in FIG. 2). This allowsmultiple systems, with various performance characteristics, to becreated from one central processor platform by combining different radiocards. Wireless characteristics that can be varied include MIMOconfiguration (number of transmit/receive chains), number of spatialstreams (1, 2 or 3) and 802.11n features such as transmit beam formingor low density parity checking. Additionally, all radio boards may bemade interoperable between a smaller 4/8-port platform (such as forexample, the system in FIG. 1) and a larger 8/12/16 port platform (suchas for example the system in FIG. 2).

FIG. 5 shows a 2×2 MIMO radio board 500 that uses a radio boardprocessor 502 configured to perform digital media access control (“MAC”)and baseband functions of the radio as well as the analog RF functions.In an example implementation, the radio board processor 502 may be basedon an Atheros AR9392 chipset. The configuration in FIG. 5 shows a radioboard 500 configured for 2×2 MIMO operation. The radio board 500supports two spatial streams 504, 506 (also indicated as “Chain 0” and“Chain 1,” respectively) and may sustain connection rates up to 300 Mbpsin an application configured for operation according to the 802.11nspecification.

The first spatial stream 504 and second spatial stream 506 includecorresponding first and second antennas 505, 507. In an exampleimplementation of the radio board 500, the first and second antennas505, 507 may be configured to operate as described in the '040 and the'091 applications listed above. The first and second antennas 505, 507each connect to tx/rx switches 510, 512, respectively in FIG. 5. Thetx/rx switches 510, 512 may be controlled using a control connection tothe radio board processor 502 to control whether the radio board isreceiving or transmitting data wirelessly. The radio board 500 may beconfigured to implement advanced features of the 802.11n specificationsuch as maximal ratio combining, beam forming and low density paritychecking. The peripheral communication interface on the Atheros AR9392is PCIe® so it plugs directly into a controller having a PCIe®interface, which may be one of the controllers 302, 402 described abovewith reference to both FIGS. 3 and 4.

Each tx/rx switch 510, 512 connects to diplexers that multiplex ordemultiplex data over two lanes in each spatial stream 504, 506. In anexample implementation, the diplexers switch the bandwidth of the radiooperation between different radio bands. For example, the radio 500 inFIG. 5 may operate selectively in both the 2.4 Ghz and 5.0 Ghzunlicensed frequency bands. The diplexers enable the selection of thebands during radio operation. In the radio 500 in FIG. 5, the firsttx/rx switch 510 connects to a chain 0 receiver diplexer 514 a forreceiving data, and a chain 0 transmitter diplexer 516 a. The chain 0receiver diplexer 514 a receives data from the first antenna 505 via thetx/rx switch 510 (when triggered to receive data). The chain 0 receiverdiplexer 514 a de-multiplexes the data received from the first antenna505 for output along parallel paths, each path having a first and secondchain 0 low noise amplifier 530 a, 530 b. The first and second chain 0low noise amplifiers 530 a, 530 b output received signals alongrespective chain 0 receiving lanes 540 to the radio board processor 502.The chain 0 receiving lanes 540 communicate analog RF signals that areprocessed by the radio board processor 502 consistent with thespecifications under which the signal was communicated.

The chain 0 transmitter diplexer 516 a multiplexes the data receivedfrom parallel transmitting paths at outputs of a first and second chain0 power amplifier 532 a, 532 b and outputs the multiplexed signal to thefirst transmit/receive (“tx/rx”) switch 510 for transmitting datawireless via the antenna 505 when switched to transmit. The first andsecond chain 0 power amplifiers 532 a, 532 b receive analog RF signalsconfigured by the radio board processor 502 for wireless transmissionpursuant to a selected specification understood by a client device towhich the RF signals are directed. The analog RF signals are output bythe radio board processor 502 on a pair of chain 0 transmitting lanes542 connected to the first and second chain 0 power amplifiers 532 a,532 b.

With respect to the second chain, chain 1, the second tx/rx switch 512connects to a chain 1 receiver diplexer 514 b for receiving data fromthe antenna 507, and a chain 1 transmitter diplexer 516 b fortransmitting data. The chain 1 receive diplexer 514 b receives data fromthe second antenna 507 via the tx/rx switch 512 (when triggered toreceive data). The chain 1 diplexer 514 b demultiplexes the datareceived from the second antenna 507 for output along parallel pathshaving a first and second chain 1 low noise amplifier 530 c, 530 d. Thefirst and second chain 1 low noise amplifiers 530 c, 530 d outputreceived signals along respective chain 1 receiving lanes 546 to theradio board processor 502. The chain 1 receiving lanes 546 communicateanalog RF signals that are processed by the radio board processor 502consistent with the specifications under which the signal wascommunicated.

The chain 1 transmit diplexer 516 b multiplexes the data received fromparallel transmitting paths at outputs of a first and second chain 1power amplifier 532 c, 532 d and outputs the multiplexed signal to thesecond tx/rx switch 512. The first and second chain 1 power amplifiers532 c, 532 d receive analog RF signals configured by the radio boardprocessor 502 for wireless transmission pursuant to a selectedspecification understood by a client device to which the RF signals aredirected. The analog RF signals are output by the radio board processor502 on a pair of chain 1 transmitting lanes 548 connected to the firstand second chain 1 power amplifiers 532 c, 532 d.

FIG. 6 shows a 3×3 MIMO radio board 600 that uses a radio boardprocessor chip 602 configured to perform digital media access control(“MAC”) and baseband functions of the radio as well as the analog RFfunctions. In an example implementation, the radio board processor 602may be based on an Atheros AR9390 chipset. The configuration in FIG. 6shows a radio board 600 configured for 3×3 MIMO operation. The radioboard 600 supports three spatial streams 604, 606, 608 (also indicatedas “Chain 0,” “Chain 1,” and “Chain 2” respectively) and may sustainconnection rates up to 450 Mbps in an application configured foroperation according to the 802.11n specification.

The three spatial streams 604, 606, 608 include corresponding first,second and third antennas 605, 607, 609. In an example implementation ofthe radio board 600, the three antennas 605, 607, 609 may be configuredto operate as described in the '040 and the '091 applications listedabove. The three antennas 605, 607, 609 each connect to correspondingtx/rx switches 610, 612, 614, respectively in FIG. 6. The tx/rx switches610, 612, 614 may be controlled using a control connection to the radioprocessor 602 to control whether the radio board is receiving ortransmitting data wirelessly. The radio board 600 may be configured toimplement advanced features of the 802.11n specification such as maximalratio combining, beam forming and low density parity checking. Theprocessor interface on the Atheros AR9390 is PCI express so it plugsdirectly into the controller having a PCE express interface as describedabove with reference to both FIGS. 3 and 4.

Each tx/rx switch 610, 612, 614 connects to diplexers that multiplex ordemultiplex data over two lanes in each spatial stream 604, 606, 608.For example, the first tx/rx switch 610 connects to a chain 0 receiverdiplexer 616 a for receiving data, and a chain 0 transmitter diplexer618 a for transmitting data. The chain 0 receiver diplexer 616 areceives data from the first antenna 605 via the tx/rx switch 610 (whentriggered to receive data). The chain 0 receiver diplexer 616 ade-multiplexes the data received from the first antenna 605 for outputalong parallel paths or lanes, each lane having a first and second chain0 low noise amplifier 620 a, 620 b. The first and second chain 0 lownoise amplifiers 620 a, 620 b output the received signals alongrespective chain 0 receiving lanes 630 to the radio board processor 602.The chain 0 receiving lanes 630 communicate analog RF signals that areprocessed by the radio board processor 602 consistent with thespecifications under which the signal was communicated.

The chain 0 transmitter diplexer 618 a multiplexes the data receivedfrom parallel transmitting paths or lanes at outputs of a first andsecond chain 0 power amplifier 622 a, 622 b and outputs the multiplexedsignal to the first tx/rx switch 610 for transmitting data wireless viathe antenna 605 when switched to transmit. The first and second chain 0power amplifiers 622 a, 622 b receive analog RF signals configured bythe radio board processor 602 for wireless transmission pursuant to aselected specification understood by a client device to which the RFsignals are directed. The analog RF signals are output by the radioboard processor 602 on a pair of chain 0 transmitting lanes 632connected to the first and second chain 0 power amplifiers 622 a, 622 b.

With respect to the second chain, chain 1, the second tx/rx switch 612connects to a chain 1 receiver diplexer 616 b for receiving data fromthe antenna 607, and a chain 1 transmitter diplexer 618 b fortransmitting data. The chain 1 receive diplexer 616 b receives data fromthe second antenna 607 via the tx/rx switch 612 (when triggered toreceive data). The chain 1 diplexer 616 b demultiplexes the datareceived from the second antenna 607 for output along parallel paths orlanes having a first and second chain 1 low noise amplifier 620 c, 620d. The first and second chain 1 low noise amplifiers 620 c, 620 d outputreceived signals along respective chain 1 receiving lanes 634 to theradio board processor 602. The chain 1 receiving lanes 634 communicateanalog RF signals that are processed by the radio board processor 602consistent with the specifications under which the signal wascommunicated.

The chain 1 transmit diplexer 618 b multiplexes the data received fromparallel transmitting paths or lanes at outputs of first and secondchain 1 power amplifiers 622 c, 622 d and outputs the multiplexed signalto the second tx/rx switch 612. The first and second chain 1 poweramplifiers 622 c, 622 d receive analog RF signals configured by theradio board processor 602 for wireless transmission pursuant to aselected specification understood by a client device to which the RFsignals are directed. The analog RF signals are output by the radioboard processor 602 on a pair of chain 1 transmitting lanes 636connected to the first and second chain 1 power amplifiers 622 c, 622 d.

With respect to the third chain, chain 2, the third tx/rx switch 614connects to a chain 2 receiver diplexer 616 c for receiving data fromthe antenna 609, and a chain 2 transmitter diplexer 618 c fortransmitting data. The chain 2 receiver diplexer 616 c receives datafrom the third antenna 609 via the tx/rx switch 614 (when triggered toreceive data). The chain 2 diplexer 616 c demultiplexes the datareceived from the third antenna 609 for output along parallel paths orlanes having a first and second chain 2 low noise amplifier 620 e, 620f. The first and second chain 2 low noise amplifiers 620 e, 620 f outputreceived signals along respective chain 2 receiving lanes 638 to theradio board processor 602. The chain 2 receiving lanes 638 communicateanalog RF signals that are processed by the radio board processor 602consistent with the specifications under which the signal wascommunicated.

The chain 2 transmit diplexer 618 c multiplexes the data received fromparallel transmitting paths or lanes at outputs of first and secondchain 2 power amplifiers 622 e, 622 f and outputs the multiplexed signalto the third tx/rx switch 614. The first and second chain 2 poweramplifiers 622 e, 622 f receive analog RF signals configured by theradio board processor 602 for wireless transmission pursuant to aselected specification understood by a client device to which the RFsignals are directed. The analog RF signals are output by the radioboard processor 602 on a pair of chain 2 transmitting lanes 640connected to the first and second chain 2 power amplifiers 622 e, 622 f.

The radio boards 500 and 600 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 are examples ofradio modules that may be implemented as the radio modules 104 a-h and204 a-p in FIGS. 1 and 2 respectively. The radio boards 500 and 600 mayoperate in a system designed to accommodate a common form-factor asdescribed above with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, but in conjunction withradio cards adapted for diverse functions. For example, some number ofradio cards in the system could have a single antenna chain while theremainder has dual, MIMO antenna configurations. System permutations maybe created from the following variations of radio boards:

-   -   Antenna configuration (i.e. SISO, 2×2 MIMO, 2×3 MIMO, 3×3 MIMO,        etc.)    -   Antenna types        -   Directional vs Omnidirectional    -   Various chip suppliers        -   Qualcomm, Intel, Broadcom, Marvel, etc.    -   Differing transmit power capabilities        -   Internal vs. External power amplifiers    -   Different types of RF technologies        -   WiFi            -   802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ad        -   Cellular            -   UMTS            -   HSPA            -   LTE        -   Bluetooth®

It is noted that the above description is not intended to be limiting inview of references to specific standards and known configurations.Rather, the modularity and flexibility provided by the radio moduleplatforms enhances the variety of systems that may be configured.

It is also noted that example implementations of the radio modules 500and 600 described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6 may be configured toprovide bandwidths of up to 300 Gbps and 450 Gbps, respectively. Inaddition, the radio modules 300 and 400 may be configured for modularityto conform to a common form factor, and where there is a sizelimitation, the radio modules 300 and 400 may create challengingoperating environments at such high frequencies. It is to be understoodby those of ordinary skill in the art that the design of components suchas examples of the radio modules 300 and 400 may require performingimpedance matching and transmission line analysis for the conductivepath and any components between the antennas and the radio processor.The need for such techniques and analysis increases when discretecomponents are included in the radio chains as described above withreference to FIGS. 3 and 4. Impedance matching and transmission lineanalysis are known to those of ordinary skill in the art. In addition,the details involving their use will depend on design specifications andother factors relative to specific implementations.

V. High-Speed Radio Module Interface with In-Line Processing

A. Intelligent High-Speed Radio Module Interface

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a controller 700 that may be used in anexample implementation of a wireless network access device such as anexample of the wireless network access device 200 shown in FIG. 2. Thecontroller 700 in FIG. 7 includes a controller processor 702, signalswitches 704 a and 704 b, radio path fanout devices 706 and 708, anassist engine 710, and an external device interface 750. The devices areinterconnected in a manner similar to the controller 200 described withreference to FIG. 2. The controller processor 702 communicates with upto 16 radio modules 726, 728 via a selectable radio interface path 720a, 720 b, which includes a first four-lane path 720 a and a secondfour-lane path 720 b connected to the signal switches 704 a,b. Thesignal switches 704 a,b are set to select one of the two radio interfacepaths 720 a,b to use as a single link to a selected one of the up tosixteen radio modules 726, 728. The first group of the up to sixteenradio modules 726 is connected to the first radio path fanout device 706via up to eight single lane links connected to a corresponding radiomodule. The second group of the up to sixteen radio modules 728 isconnected to the second radio path fanout device 708 via up to eightsingle lane links connected to a corresponding radio module. The signalswitches 704 a and 704 b and radio path fanout devices 706, 708 may becontrolled by the controller processor 702 over an integrated interfacecontrol bus 760 or via control signals forming part of the processor'scontrol bus.

The second radio path fanout device 708 may include a fanout devicecoupling 770 to the first radio path fanout device 706. The fanoutdevice coupling 770 may be a four lane link configured to permit any ofthe up to eight radio modules 728 connected to the second radio pathfanout device 708 to connect via the first radio path fanout device 706to the controller processor 702. The connections from the first radiopath fanout device 706 to the first group of radio modules 726 mayinclude 8 1×1 links forming 8 single lane links that are connected toone of the two four-lane links, which are the radio interface paths 720a, 720 b. The second radio path fanout device 708 may also include foursingle lane links at 780 connected to corresponding external outputports in the external device interface 750.

The example illustrated in FIG. 7 may provide a variety of performance,diagnostic, test or function enhancing assist functions using the assistengine 710 and operating the second radio interface path 720 b forcommunication to the radio modules 726,728, or to the external devicesconnected to the external device interface 750. FIG. 7 shows one assistengine 710, however, multiple assist engines 710 may be configured andinserted into the radio interface path 720 b.

In an example implementation, the assist engine 710 may be afield-programmable gate array (“FPGA”) programmed with any suitable ordesirable assisting function. In general, the radio interface paths 720a, 720 b may be configurable by control software operating under controlof the controller processor 702 to select between the two paths 720 a,720 b. The controller processor 702 may select between the first radiointerface path 720 a having a direct connection to the controllerprocessor 702 and the second radio interface path 720 b with the assistengine 710 inserted into the path 720 b. The assist engine 710 may beused to process data and/or control traffic in-line with the radioprocessing path 720 b (“in-line processing” functions), as look-asidehardware assist engines (“look-aside processing” functions) for thecontroller processor 702, or as an auxiliary processor that controlscommunication between the controller processor 702 and one or moreexternal devices connected to the external device interface 750.

The assist engine 710 may perform a variety of functions depending onthe use case of the wireless network access device (such as 200 in FIG.2). For example, functions that may be implemented with in-lineprocessing performed by the assist engine 710 include, but are notlimited to, the following examples:

-   -   Counting data packets    -   Inspecting packets for specific content and then acting on what        it finds (like setting an interrupt for example).    -   Queuing data traffic    -   Policing data traffic    -   Memory address checking

Functions that may be implemented with look-aside processing include thefollowing:

-   -   Encryption/Decryption    -   Frame aggregation/de-aggregation    -   Packet parsing    -   Frame translation

The assist engine 710 may include functions that use the connections 780to the external device interface 750 for any suitable purpose. Forexample, the four device connections in the external device interface750 may be used to connect to one or more external radio modules 782.The external radio modules 782 may be configured in a variety of ways.For example, the external radio module 782 may be any radio modulehaving at least an electrical interface configured to communicate withthe controller 700. The external radio module 782 may or may not havethe same form factor that would allow it to operate as one of the radiomodules 726, 728 configured to operate with the controller 700. Theexternal radio module 782 may be used to provide a specialized link tospecially selected clients, or clients located in a specific area. Theexternal radio module 782 may also implement a different type ofwireless communication link than the radio modules 726, 728 configuredto operate with the controller 700. In another example, the externalradio module 782 may not be a ‘radio’ module, but rather a wirelessconnection using a different type of wireless signal, such as infrared,laser, any optical, any electromagnetic other than radio, or any othertype of wireless signal. The external radio module 782 may beimplemented to expand functions, capacity, or performance, or to providediagnostic testing.

B. High-Speed Radio Module Interface Bridge

The assist engine 710 shown in FIG. 7 may be used to provide other typesof processing assist functions other than those described above withreference to FIG. 7. For example, an assist engine 710 may beimplemented as an in-line data processing function in an interfacebridge. FIG. 8 illustrates operation of an example of a high-speed radiomodule interface bridge 800 and an interface bridge having in-line dataprocessing 820. FIG. 8 shows a block diagram of the interface bridge 800in normal operation utilizing a first internal interface bride 802 and asecond internal interface bridge 804 connected back-to-back by aninternal bus 810. The interface bridge 800 is configured to pass trafficconsistent with the interface standard (PCI Express, for example)between two external interfaces.

The interface bridge having in-line data processing 820 also includes afirst internal interface bridge 822 and a second internal interfacebridge 824, but with an in-line data processing function 850 operatingbetween the first and second interface bridges 822, 824 over an internalbus 860. The in-line data processing function 850 may be configured toperform any desired function. The in-line data processing function 850intercepts the communications traffic from the external interfaces andmay perform functions on the intercepted data. Examples of the types offunctions that may be performed on the data include:

-   -   Counting data packets    -   Inspecting packets for specific content and then acting on what        it finds (like setting an interrupt for example).    -   Queuing data traffic    -   Policing data traffic

The interface bridge 820 with internal processing may be implemented ineither custom silicon such as a standard cell chip or programmablesilicon such as an FPGA.

It will be understood that the foregoing description of numerousimplementations has been presented for purposes of illustration anddescription. It is not exhaustive and does not limit the claimedinventions to the precise forms disclosed. For example, the aboveexamples have been described as implemented according to IEEE 802.11anand 802.11bgn. Other implementations may use other standards. The numberof radios in the sectors and the number of sectors defined for any givenimplementation may also be different. Modifications and variations arepossible in light of the above description or may be acquired frompracticing the invention. The claims and their equivalents define thescope of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A wireless network access device comprising: a radio interface comprising a plurality of individually addressable radio paths for providing a connection to corresponding radio modules; each radio module comprising a radio configured to communicate with client devices in a corresponding coverage area, where each radio module operates independently of the other radio modules; a network interface configured to provide data network access; and a processor configured to manage communication between the client devices that communicate with the radio modules and a data network via the radio interface and the network interface when the wireless local area network device includes at least one connected radio module.
 2. The wireless network access device of claim 1 where: when more than one radio module is connected to the radio interface, each radio module is configured to operate in accordance with any one of a variety of wireless communication characteristics.
 3. The wireless network access device of claim 2 where the wireless communication characteristics include any combination of the following types of characteristics: different antenna configurations, different antenna types, different component suppliers, different transmit power capabilities, and different radio frequency (“RF”) technologies.
 4. The wireless network access device of claim 1 where the radio modules include antennas having an antenna configuration selected from a group consisting of: Single In, Single Out (“SISO”); Multiple In, Multiple Out (“MIMO”); and n×m MIMO, where n and m indicate a number of receiving and transmitting spatial streams.
 5. The wireless network access device of claim 1 where the radio modules include either directionalized or omni-directional antennas or both.
 6. The wireless network access device of claim 1 where the radio modules employ an RF technology selected from the group consisting of: WiFi operating under any suitable standard including IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, IEEE 802.11n, IEEE 802.11ac, and IEEE 802.11ad; mobile telecommunications operating under any suitable standard; wireless personal area network communications operating under any suitable standard including Bluetooth®.
 7. The wireless network access device of claim 1 where the plurality of individually addressable radio paths form multiple point-to-point connections between the processor and the radio modules.
 8. The wireless network access device of claim 7 where the multiple point-to-point connections include at least one radio interface path between the central processor and a fanout device comprising radio paths to each radio module where the central processor forms individual connections over the radio paths via control of the fanout device.
 9. The wireless network access device of claim 7 where the multiple point-to-point connections include: a plurality of radio interface paths between the central processor and a switch; and a single radio interface path between the switch and at least one fanout device each fanout device comprising radio paths to a corresponding set of the radio modules where the central processor forms individual connections over the radio paths via control of the switch to select one of the plurality of radio interface paths between the central processor and the switch, and control of the fanout devices to select the radio path to a desired radio module.
 10. The wireless network access device of claim 9 where the plurality of radio interface paths between the central processor and the switch, the single radio interface path between the switch and the at least one fanout device, and the plurality of radio paths between the at least one fanout device and each corresponding radio module each includes at least one lane formed with at least one receiving line and at least one transmitting line.
 11. The wireless network access device of claim 10 where the at least one receiving line and the at least one transmitting line each include a differential pair connection.
 12. The wireless network access device of claim 8 where the at least one radio interface path between the central processor and a fanout device, and the radio paths to each radio module each includes at least one lane formed with at least one receiving line and at least one transmitting line.
 13. The wireless network access device of claim 12 where the at least one receiving line and the at least one transmitting line each include a differential pair connection.
 14. The wireless network access device of claim 1 where each individual radio path includes a connector for insertion and removal of a corresponding radio module.
 15. The wireless network access device of claim 14 where the connectors are arranged in a substantially circular pattern.
 16. The wireless network access device of claim 14 the connectors are provided to permit insertion of from one to a maximum number of radio modules, the wireless network access device being configurable by populating the wireless network access device with a selected number and type of radio modules.
 17. The wireless network access device of claim 16 where the wireless network access device is configurable to provide scalable wireless performance by inserting combinations of radio modules according to predetermined performance characteristics.
 18. The wireless network access device of claim 17 where the predetermined performance characteristics are based on one or more of the following: number of MIMO antennas; number of MIMO spatial streams; and maximum connection rate.
 19. The wireless network access device of claim 2 where the radio interface operates in accordance with the Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (“PCIe”) bus standard.
 20. The wireless network access device of claim 1 where: the processor, the radio interface, and the network interface reside on a wireless network access controller; and each of the individually addressable radio paths connects to a corresponding connector configured to receive any one of the plurality of radio modules.
 21. The wireless network access device of claim 20 where each of the plurality of radio modules includes a radio board connector configured to connect to any of the connectors on the wireless network access controller, and a radio printed circuit board comprising a shape that is the same for the radio printed circuit boards of the plurality of radio modules, the shape of the radio printed circuit board and the configuration of the radio board connectors defining a form factor for radio modules to adhere to for operation with the wireless network access controller.
 22. A method for configuring a wireless network access device comprising a wireless network access device controller, a network interface, and a radio interface comprising a plurality of individually addressable radio paths for providing a connection to corresponding radio modules, the method comprising: selecting at least one radio module from among a group of different types of radio modules; inserting the selected radio modules into selected connectors corresponding to the individually addressable radio paths; and managing communications between client devices communicating over wireless connections with the selected radio modules and a data network via the network interface.
 23. The method of claim 22 where the step of selecting the at least one radio module includes the step of selecting radio modules according to any of the following characteristics: different antenna configurations, different antenna types, different component suppliers, different transmit power capabilities, and different radio frequency (“RF”) technologies.
 24. The method of claim 22 where the step of selecting the at least one radio module includes the step of selecting radio modules according to antennas on the radio modules having an antenna configuration selected from a group consisting of: Single In, Single Out (“SISO”); Multiple In, Multiple Out (“MIMO”); and n×m MIMO, where n and m indicate a number of receiving and transmitting spatial streams.
 25. The method of claim 22 where the step of selecting the at least one radio module includes the step of selecting radio modules that include either directionalized or omni-directional antennas or both.
 26. The method of claim 22 where the step of selecting the at least one radio module includes the step of selecting radio modules from radio modules that operate according to a RF technology selected from a group consisting of: WiFi operating under any suitable standard including IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, IEEE 802.11n, IEEE 802.11ac, and IEEE 802.11ad; mobile telecommunications operating under any suitable standard; wireless personal area network communications operating under any suitable standard including Bluetooth®.
 27. The method of claim 22 where the step of selecting the at least one radio module includes selecting the radio modules according to predetermined performance characteristics.
 28. The method of claim 27 where the step of selecting the radio modules according to predetermined performance characteristics includes selecting the predetermined performance characteristics based on one or more of the following: number of MIMO antennas; number of MIMO spatial streams; and maximum connection rate.
 29. The method of claim 22 where the step of managing communications includes the step of: establishing a communication path along an individually addressable radio path corresponding to a selected radio module.
 30. The method of claim 29 where the step of establishing the communication path includes the steps of: controlling a switch to select one of at least one radio interface path between the central processor and the switch; and controlling a fanout device to select one of at least one radio path to a selected radio module. 